Wrapping of cigarettes and other articles



Oct. 2, 1928. 1,686,290

W. E. MOLINS WRAPPING OF CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed July 1925- 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 2, 1928. 1,686,290

w. E. MOLINS WRAPPING OF CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed July 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEAII'OT? W. E. MOLINS WRAPPING 0F CIGARETTESv AND OTHER ARTICLES INVENTOF Filed July 1925 4 Sheets-shat 5 Oct. 2, 1928.

W. E. MOLINS WRAPPING OF CIGARETTES AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed July 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 2, 1928;

WALTER EVERETT HOLINS, LONDON, ENGLAND.

wnarrme or oreannr'rns Ann ornnn anrrcnns.

Application filed July 7 1925, Serial Na 42,084, and in Great Britain 1111;! 10, 1924.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for wrapping cigarettes and other articles and has more particularly for its object the provision of means whereby cigarettes may be packed in two or morewrappers at a greater speed than is possible with machines at present in use.

It has previously been proposed to provide a cigarette packing machine wherein each 10 batch of cigarettes is carried by a reciprocating plunger which pushes one batch at a time into contact with two wrappers in succession, and into engagement with folding and sealf ing means arranged in the path of the plung- IS or for the purpose ofenclosing each batch of cigarettes in two wrappers, whereupon the plunger returns to its initial position to pick up another batch of cigarettes which is subjected to the same series of operations. I It will be appreciated that in a machine of the above character, wherein each batch of cigarettes is fed to the wrappers and folders by a reciprocating plunger, the throw of such a plunger is, in practice, limited and in consequence the number of wrappers which can be wrapped about a batch of cigarettes is also limited. Again, in practice it is found that the speed of a reciprocating plunger is limited beyond which the operation of a pack- 5 ing machine is very unreliable.

Further, in a machine operated by a reciprocating plunger,aperiod of time is wasted between the initial movement of one batch of cigarettes and the initial movement of the :3 next succeeding batch, in which several batches of cigarettes might be packed. It is the object of the present invention to provide means whereby batches of articles (for example, cigarettes) are moved in close proximity one after the other into engagement with a series of wrappers, thereby ensuring that the number of batches of-cigarettes which can be wrapped whilst the batches are travelling at a definite speed, is greater than is possible 4 5 with a reciprocating plunger travelling at a corresponding speed.

The present invention consist-s of a method of packing cigarettes and other articles in two or more wrappers, wherein batches of ar- Renewed August 1,

. ticles are moved simultaneously in a constant 5( direction and rapid succession into engagement wlth wrapping strips fed across the I path of each batch of articles in separate planes transversely disposed to said path. The expression constant direction used in connection with the movement of the articles is intended to imply movement in a straight or curved path as opposed to movement in a l staggered or zig-zag path. 1

Further, the present invention consists of an apparatus for packing cigarettes and other articles in a series of wrappers which comprises a forwardly moving conveyor adapted to simultaneously move batches of articles in rapid succession into engagement with two or more wrapping strips fed across the path of each batch of articles in separate planes transversely disposed to said path.

Preferably the wrapping strips are fed continuously from a reel and are severed automatically as the articles come into contact therewith without interfering with the feed of the strips, the articles taking charge of the severed strips and carrying them through the various folding or other devices, but other forms of wrapper feeding devices may be used if desired.

One or more of the wrapping strips may consist of two or more strips preferably of different materials, superposed and manipulated as a single wrapper.

In a suitable arrangement for carrying out the invention and particularly applicable for wrapping bundles of cigarettes, the bundles are carried on an endless conveyor having pusher pieces as described in British patent specification No. 13,957 of 1915, the mouthpiece and ready-made cup or packet described in said specification bein omitted. A series of Wrapping strips are fe substantially vertically across the path of the moving bundles by means of apparatus substantially as described in British patent specification No. 165,891.

As each bundle meets the first wrapping strip, the latter is severed and wrapped round the bundle as described in the last-named specification and the wrapped bundle is carried to the second strip and the severing and wrapping operation is repeated and so on for each of the series of strips.

' Any or all of these. wra pers may be gummed and secured if desire at or between each stage of the wrapping by any known means, and gumming apparatus such as described in British patent specification No. 16,738 of 192 i may be employed.

For example, the first wrapper may be merely folded and the second wrapper gummed and secured to form a sealed outer container and a third and final wrapper may be of transparent tissue paper, wax paper or other transparent paper to act as a protective coating.

With regard to the closing of the open ends of the packages where they are in contact with the conveyor pusher pieces, this may be accomplished by using the tucking mechanism described in Britishpatent specification No. 214,7 92, or its equivalent, the pusher piece catching up the closed bundle after it has been tucked, this operation being repeated for the various wrappings.

The wrappers may be of any desired length, for example, the second wrapper may be shorterthan the first and arranged to form an outer cup or container of the height of the bundle, such a style of packet being in com, men use in the United States of America and in certain continental countries.

In this case the cigarettes may be wrapped in a first wrapperconsistin of metal foil lined with tissue paper, the dou le strip being fed as a single strip. After receiving this .cfirst wrapper the bundle then moves to a second shorter wrapper which forms the outer cup or container and which may be gummed or sealed by any \of the usual known means,

\ folded down and dried.

The overlapping ends of the first wrapper may be closed as aforesaid on the lines described in specification No. 214,792 or the bundle may be removed from the conveyor and the open end tucked and sealed byany other desired method.

To enable the invention to be fully understood, it will now be described by reference to. the accompanying drawings which illustrate a machine constructedaccording to one form of the invention and arranged for packing. cigarettes in an innerwrapper of foil or the like, wrapping the foiled bundle in a short wrapper forming a cup and finally enclosing the whole in a transparent wrapper, the op-' erations of the machine being automatic and continuous;

In the drawings j Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are plan views of portions of the machine and if joined together con;

' gear 23 meshing with av bevel wheel 24 'on a secutively will give a plan view of the whole machine; j

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional side elevations Fig. 10 is a plan view, and Fig. 11 is a side 1 elevation of the tucking mechanism which may be employed.

Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive are views in perspective shewing the various stages of the wrapping of the cigarette bundles.

As shewn, the machine comprises a bed 1 with acentral slot 2 through which pusher pieces 3 ofa chain conveyor run. Each pusher is fitted with a spindle 4, the ends of which areconnected to conveyor chains 5 carried on driving sprocket wheels 6 and idlers 7.

The driving sprocket wheels 6 are carried on a shaft 8 running in hearings in the machine'bed and having a bevel gear 9 mounted at one end thereof, the drive being transmit-ted from a main shaft 10, mounted in bearings 11 on the side of the machine bed through a bevel wheel 9. The shaft 10 is'driven by a pulley, clutch or any other means from a suit able source of power and rotates in such a direction that the pusher pieces 3 travel in the direction of the arrow D, Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

Bunches 12 of cigarettes are fed to the machine bed by a hopper or any known means and are carried along the bed by the pusher pieces 3. This method of moving cigarettes is fully described in British specification No. 13,957 of 1915 for example. The cigarettes controlled by side guides 13 are moved along the bed until they meet a substantially verticalsheet R of tin foil, foil and tissue, or other lining material, which is fed continuously downwards through a slot 14 in the is secured the roller 16. This roller is preferably rubber covered. a

One end of the spindle 22 carries a bevel vertical shaft 25.

The wheel 24 is driven by a bevel wheel 26 tobar 19 carries a rotating spindle 22 to which 4 v mounted on a shaft 27 mounted in a bearing bracket 28 and at the other end of shaft 27 a. sprocket wheel 29 is mounted which is driven by another sprocket wheel 30, carried on the main shaft 10. The roller -17 is an idler and is mounted on a spindle 31, carried by a yoke 32, pivoted at 33 to a pivoted bracket 34 swinging on a pin 35 in the bar 19.

A s ring pin 36is mounted on the bracket 34 an a spring 37 is stretched from the pin 36 to another pin 38 in the bracket 28. This arrangement causes the roller-17 to make contact with roller 16 under the tension of the spring 37, the pivoted yoke permitting the rollers to lie parallel. The roller 17 may be ofsteel or rubber covered if desired.

A handle 38 is fitted for separating the rollers when necessary, for example, when passing down the web of a new reel.

The knife 18 is screwed to a hinged block 39 which is thicker than the knife blade and is pivoted at 40 to a bar-41 which is clamped to the vertical spindle 25. The pivot 40 extends downwards and is fitted with a torsion spring 42. As the knife rotates a portion of the block 39 comes into contact with an adjustable stop pin 43 which causes the knife to bend backwards until the block can slip past the stop, when the knife straightens out under the action of the spring and euts the Web R. The web passes between the guides v 44 and 45 against which it is cut by the knife.

. and 17 to assist in stripping the web in case there is any tendency for it to stick.

The moving cigarettes meet the strip and as it is cut, push it into the folding box T comprising a top plate 48 carried by a bridge 49, supported on pillars 50, side folders 51 and the machine bed. The folders 51 form the narrow side tucks in the liner at a, Fig. 12.

As the wrapped bundle moves onward, the upper side flapsb, Fig. 12, are bent down by the spiral folders 52, and lastly, the lower side flaps c are turned up by another pair of spiral folders 53 screwed to the machine bed. The result of these folding operations is the wrapped bunch shewn in Fig. 12, which is open at one end. i

The wrapping mechanism above referred to is further described in United States of America specification No. 1,468,246.

The wrapped bunch moves further along the bed between guides 54 and its closed end then meets another vertical sheet.

In this case the sheet is adapted to form the. printed outer cover or packet usually used for cigarettes. A pile of separate sheets or blanks is placed on a table 55 (Fig. 2), the blanks being positioned by a back stop' 56,

side guides 57, long guides 58 and front guides 7 5. At the end of guides 58 a small roller 59 is mounted over which the blanks run as they are removed from the magazine one at a time by suction tubes 60. The tubes 60 are connected to a suction tube 61, mounted on a return to drag the blank out of the magazine and down on to rotating rollers 65.

As the suction tubes reach their lowest position a roller 66 is swung into cdntact with the top of the blank. This causes the blank to feed forward and down between the large rollers 67 and 68. Of these rollers-the upper roller 67 is an idler, spring pressed into contact with the lower roller 68, the latter being suitably driven.

The blank passes out beneath a guide 69 and between roller 68 and a directing roller 70 which cause it to pass vertically clownwards through a slot 71 in the machine bed.

The roller 70 which may be rubber covered, is carried in an arm 72 attached to another arm or lever 73. The latter is pivoted at 74 to the top bridge 75 of the feed frames 76.

' A lever 77 and spring 7 8 press on the arm 73 and hold roller 70 securely in position.

When necessary lever 77 may be swung out of position by knob 78 and the arm 73 raised.

The method of operating the suction tubes 60 and the roller 66 is as follows A cam 7 9 on the shaft 80 of roller 68 makes contact with a cam roller 81 On a lever 82, the latter being pinned to a shaft 83 carried in bearings in the feed frames. The roller 66 is mounted in a fork 84 carried on the shaft 83, a plate 66 on the, fork being arranged to keep the fronts of the blanks in the magazine in register by patting them as the fork is oscillated.

An arm 85 on the fork 84 is connected by a link 86 to a point on the quadrant 62. The motion of cam 79 causes the shaft 83 to oscillate, thus rocking the fork carrying the roller 66 and also causing the suction tubes 60 to oscillate about the pin 63.

A spring 87 is connected to a lever 88 at one end and to a pin 89 on the frame at the other, the lever 88 being fixed on the shaft 83, thus returning the parts to their original position.

The drive for the above blank feeding 'mcchanisin is taken from a bevel wheel 90 Inn ofshaft 80 carries a sprocket wheel 96, conne'cted by a chain 97 to a sprocket wheel 98 on shaft 99 on which the rollers are Just before reaching the gumming apparatus, the lower side flaps c (Fig. 13) of the paper packet are turned up by the folders 103. These folders are similar in shape and function to the folders 53, but they are extended past the gumming position and are provided with a slot 104 through which the gum Wheels project.

The gumming apparatus is shewn in Figs. 5,7,8and9.

As shewn, horizontal gum wheels 105 are used, rotating in gum pots 106. Each wheel is mounted on a pin 107 and is. rotated by a spindle 108 which is carried in a bearing 109 and is fitted with a bevel wheel 110 which gears with a bevel wheel 111 on across shaft 112. The cross shaft 112 is fitted with a pinion 113 at one end which gears with a pinion 114, running on a pin and fixed to a sprocket wheel 115, driven by a chain 97. The cross shaft 112 and the bevel wheels are all supported in a bridge 116 which has tongues 117 at its ends fitting in slots in side brackets 118 which are fixed to the machine bed.

The spindles 108 are connected to the gum wheels 105 by means of screws 119 which are fixed in the gum wheel bosses with their ends engaging grooves in the ends of the spindles. By this arrangement the whole of the upper driving gear can be lifted out of the way when necessary. Springs 120 furnished with finger hooks 121 keep the bridge 116 in position.

Each gum wheel has asmall sector 122 of steel, hard brass or the like and the shape of the slot through which the wheel emerges is as shewn in Fig. 9. A scraper 123 is fitted which rubs against the rim of the wheel and is provided with a slot 124 through which a stream of gum can emerge. The sector 122 clears out this slot at every revolution and prevents. the orifice being closed by dried gum or dirt. The sector itself'is rubbed free of gum by the scraper and the wheel is timed so that the position of the sector coincides with the part of-the packet marked, Fig. 13, and no gum is applied to this part. This gumming apparatus is also described in British specification No. 16,738 of 1924.

After gumming, the packet meets another -to fold down and down the upshewn in detail in Figs. 10 and 11. These wheels are described in United States of America specification No. 1,517,307 and are fitted with tuckin pawls 127 which operate tuck in the narrow end folds of the open end of the inner wrapper of the-packet, all as described in the aforesaid specification. The wheels 126 comprise two discs with parts of the rims cut away. The remaining portions of the rims may be rubber covered. The wheels are fitted with tucking pawls 127 pivoted at 128 and pressed outwards by springs 129 and also with spindles 130 having bevel wheels 131 at their upper ends.

A cross shaft 132 carried in brackets 134 is fitted with bevel wheels 133 which gear with the wheels 131. This mechanism is driven by a sprocket wheel 135 at one end of the cross shaft 132 driven by a chain as shewn. After the narrow end folds have been tucked, the bottom flap of the end of the wrapper is bent up by arms 145 pivoted to the bed at 146 and pushed up by the passing conveyor spindle 4, which makes contact with the under sides of the arms. a

On the spindle 132 are mounted two cams 138 and 139. The cam 138 works against a roller 140 mounted on a tucker 141 which is pivoted at 142 to the plate 143. A spring 144, Fig. 10, causes the tucker to move down when the drop in the cam is reached. This tucker operates when a packet has reached the position shewn in Fig. 5 with the narrow end folds of the inner wrapper tucked and the bottom flap bent up, and depresses the top flap of the inner wrapper.

- During these operations. the packet is held stationary by a levelling flap 147 carried by one arm of alever 148 pivoted at 149, the other arm of the lever carrying a cam roller 150 engaging the cam 139. The speeds of the conveyor and the cam 139 are so timed-that the flap 147 rises and falls, releasing a packet before the conveyor brings another into position.

The packet is then moved by the conveyor between heated guides 151 which dry the gum which has been applied to the sides of the outer wrapping and the packet meets a further wrapping strip which is preferably of a transparent material and is designed to form a final wrapper, totally enclosing the packet.

This wrapper X is fed vertically across the path of the packet from a reel V, Fig. 4, and is cut by mechanism similar to that previously described with reference to Figs. 3 and 6 and the moving packet carries the cut strip through folders and gumming' apparatus similar to that described with reference to after this, the moving packet is gripped etween a pair of tucking wheels 126 Figs. 2 and 5. In Figs. 1 and 4, the wrapping mechanism is indicated at 160, the gumming mechanism at 161 and further description of these mechanisms is thought to be unnecessary.

After folding and gumming the packet is passed through heated guides 152 and discharged from the machine. The packet is thus left with a sealed inner wrapper, an outer cup open at one end anda wrapper enclosing the whole with a block bottom, but open at the other end as shewn in Fig. 15. The end flaps of the open end of the final wrapper'may now be closed by apparatus of the kind shewn in'Fig. 5 or in any other desired manner; The sealing may be by gum or by a stamp.

In some cases the final wrapper may be of waxed paper and the folds secured by melting the wax in the known manner.

It will be understood that although the machine described is adapted to enclose the cigarettes after their first Wrapping in an open ended cup, that it may readily be adapted by substituting the appropriate mechanism to enclose'the wrapped cigarettes in a closed outer packet or wrapping instead of a short cup.

In forming the cup, as above described, cut sheets fed by suction means have been illustrated, but other methods of feed may be employed for the cut sheets.

Further, instead of cut sheets, a continuous web and cutting mechanism as described with reference to Figs. 3 and 6 for example,

may be emplo ed, the length of wrapping strip cut off being adjusted to form the Tnstead of a continuously moving conveyor, the articles may be moved by an intermittently forwardly moving conveyor.

Obviously the several mechanisms may be arranged in various combinations to wrap cigarettes in any desired number and style of wrappings and the positions of the various units may be interchanged without departing from the invention.

The invention is also applicable for Wrapping articles other than cigarettes.

Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim I I 1. A method of packing cigarettes an other articles in two or more wrappers wherein batches of articles are simultaneously moved in a constant direction and rapid succession into engagement with wrapping strips fed across the path of each batch of articles in separate planes transversely disposed to the said path.

2. An apparatus for packing cigarettes and other aticles in a series of wrappers which comprises aforwardly moving conveyor adapted to move batches of articles simultaneously in rapid succession into engagement with two or more wrapping strips, means to feed said strips across the path of each batch 1n separate planes transversely disposed to said path.

3. Apparatus for packing cigarettes and said path, and means for automatically fold ing, tucking and sealing one of the wrappers around the articles.

4. An apparatus for packing cigarettes and other articles in a series of wrappers which comprises a forwardly moving conveyor adapted to. move batches of article simultaneously in rapid succession into engagement with a plurality of continuous wrapping strips, means to feed said strips across the path of said batches in separate planes transverse to said path, mean to out said strips when a batch of articles engages the same, and a series of folders to receive the cut Wrappers and articles.

5. An apparatus for packing cigarettes and other articles in a series of wrappers which comprises a forwardly moving conveyor adapted to move batches of articles simultaneously in rapid succession into engagement with a plurality of continuous wrapping strips, means to feed said strips across the path of said batches in separate planes transverse to said path, mean to out said strips when a batch of articles engages the same, means to fold each cut wrapper over the top, bottom and front end of a batch, means to tuck, fold and gum the sides of at least one wrapper, and means to fold and close one of the open rear ends of said Wrappers.

. 6. An apparatus for packing cigarettes and other articles in a series of wrappers which comprises a forwardly moving conveyor adapted to move batches of articles simultaneously in rapid succession into engagement with a plurality of continuous Wrapping strips, means to feed said strips across the path of said batches in separate planes transverse to said path, mean to out said strips when a batch of articles engages the same, and a series of folders to receive the cut wrappers and articles, the first applied Wrapper covering the batch of articles completely, the second wrapper being open at one end and serving as a cup, and the last wrapper being adapted to completely enclose the first two mentioned wrappers.

7. An apparatus for packing articles in a series of wrappers, comprising in combination, a continuously moving convey-or adapted to move batches of the articles simulta-; neously into engagement with a plurality of from continuous supplies thereof across t e I path of said batches in separate planes transverse to said path, means to out each said 5 stri when a batch of articles engages it, an

additional wrappiiilzfi into the path 0 stri adapted to be fed bate from a cut magazine thereof, suction means to remove each said addltlonal wrapping strip from said -ma azine and folding means for the various l0 strlps to causethem to enclose the articles. In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis s cification. WALT R EVERETT MOLINS. 

